When General Motors CEO Mary Barra unveiled the Bolt prototype in early 2015 at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it signaled the beginning of the zero-emission automobile era. The Bolt was the first affordable, mass-produced, long-range electric car, beating Tesla’s Model 3 to market. The Bolt continues to be a popular, capable, long-distance BEV despite ceding its first mover advantage to the Model 3, which outsold it by a 6:1 ratio even before the $35k Model 3 became available.

Bolt designers were given a clean slate to create the vehicle. Chevrolet used data and survey feedback collected from drivers who had collectively accumulated more than 1.3 billion miles of EV experience on the now-discontinued Chevy Volt to inform the design of its first all-electric vehicle. The Bolt is a compact crossover with upright seating for five adults and much more cargo room than the current selection of short-range electric hatchbacks. Its prior 238-mile range has been expanded in 2020 to accommodate 259 pollution-free miles.

Although GM originally said it will not build a high-speed charging network like Tesla, they are now working with engineering giant Bechtel to develop a solution. The Bolt accepts 80kW DC Fast Charging. The current network of CCS chargers generally offers 25-50kW charging, making trips out of town possible, if not as fast and convenient as when using a 120kW Tesla Supercharger. Even so, the Bolt’s competitive range and inexpensive $25,600 base price make it an attractive hatchback EV.